


In The Next Life

by officialagentmaine



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Angst, I killed them all except for tucker and caboose and junior, Mentioned Agent Carolina (Red vs. Blue), Mentioned Agent Washington (Red vs. Blue), Mentioned Dexter Grif, Mentioned Sarge (Red vs. Blue), Small fluff, severe angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-28 02:30:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18202289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/officialagentmaine/pseuds/officialagentmaine
Summary: “Pick one.”It was said as if the action was simple. How could he just pick one?Felix walked around the chair to face Tucker. He gripped his hostage by the arms tightly, “Pick one, and you get to live.”That was the deal. Pick one of his team, and they both get a ride off Chorus. A get out of jail free card.I wrote this as part of an angst challenge. Sorry.





	1. Part One

“Pick one.” 

It was said as if the action was simple. How could he just pick one?

Felix walked around the chair to face Tucker. He gripped his hostage by the arms tightly, “Pick one, and you get to live.”

That was the deal. Pick one of his team, and they both get a ride off Chorus. A get out of jail free card. 

“I get that you're fucked up, but this is what seriously gets you off? Sick, dude.” 

“I'm not the one who fucked an alien. You have five minutes left.” 

How could he just pick one? They were family now. How could he pick just one family member to keep by his side? Tucker couldn't do it. His throat constricted, his heart heavy. They were going to die and he could only save one of them. 

“Tick tock, Tuck. Should I get Locus to bring them in, kill them one by one in front of you?” 

“You don't have them. Just me.” 

“Doesn't mean I can't get them. I mean, we got you. Which was surprisingly easy. I guess they don't care about you. How sad.” 

That hurt. Tucker had been questioning if he really did matter to them. Recently, all they had done was distance him from everyone because of his key. They claimed it was for his safety, but he couldn't help but feel neglected. 

“So, Tucker, why save them at all?” 

Why save any of them? They wronged him. Did any of them really deserve to escape with him? Did he deserve any of them? 

“One minute.” 

What was he thinking? Of course, he had to save as many as he could. Even if it was just one. 

There was Carolina. Tucker could pick her, but she wouldn't go. She would fight for her family, even if it meant dying. Washington would do the same, and that pained him. Everything inside Tucker was screaming to pick Washington, to pick the man he loved but couldn't possibly love him back. But he knew that Washington wouldn't go. He wouldn't take the out. He would do the right thing. He would fight. 

Tucker couldn't pick Grif or Simmons unless he could pick both. There was no separating them. Even if they stumbled out of the same room wearing each others shirts, they still denied their relationship. Maybe if they were put in the situation of death, they'd admit it to everyone. Tucker just wishes he could witness it. He could pick Sarge, but Sarge would exclaim something about fighting on the front lines to witness the long time coming of Grif's death. 

“Caboose. Caboose would go with me.” 

“Oh, wow. Want to explain that one to me? I had bets running that you would pick lover boy.” 

“No. Just… just get us out of here before you purge Chorus.”


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few months later.

It had only been a few months since they left their team to die. Caboose and Tucker would've made Blood Gulch their home, but there were just too many memories. They had only been able to stay for a few days before packing everything and leaving. 

Now they were living together in an actual house in a city as retired space marines. Junior lived with them too, Tucker just couldn't leave his son. Not again. He needed to keep what was left of his family close by. 

This need had become a problem. To outsiders, Tucker appeared controlling. It wasn't his fault Caboose and Junior had to tell him what they were doing, where they were going, who they were going to go see. He had to know what was going on with his family 24/7. If we're being honest, Caboose didn't know better, and Junior was just excited to have his father back and within reach. 

Their relationships had changed, but not by much. Tucker and Caboose still 'hated' each other. Caboose would still blame the other for everything. They would never mention the nightmares, the crying and screaming, or when Caboose would accidentally call Tucker a different name, primarily Church or Washington. The silence, followed by Tucker leaving the room was never talked about either. 

On the upside, Caboose absolutely loved Junior. Junior tolerated Caboose and wouldn't admit he actually liked the idiot. He had someone to play with, someone who understood that cookies and ice cream were more important than fruit and vegetables. On more than one occasion, Tucker caught them calling the other 'brother'. It warmed Tucker's heart. Back to Caboose and Tucker, there was that time that Caboose called Tucker 'dad.' That is something they did talk about. 

Caboose had woken up, screaming and crying. Nightmares of watching his family and friends die haunted him, even if he didn't watch it happen. It still hurt, and he tried to understand that they weren't coming back, he really did. But with the way he thinks, and how fragile he is, he equates them not coming back to them not loving him. Tucker has told him countless times, “they didn't not love you, Caboose. You're Church's best friend, and they all considered you family.” 

Tucker quickly made his way to Caboose, to quiet him so he wouldn't wake up the heavy sleeper that is Junior. This was the routine, one of the unmentionables. He climbed in behind Caboose, and wrapped his arms tightly around the man in hysterics. Slowly, he would rock his friend, cradling him. 

While on Chorus, Washington went to the others for help with Caboose. Grif told him how he would have to sing a song to Sister when she would wake up from nightmares. Every night after that, Washington would hold Caboose, and sing him to sleep. And that's what Tucker had to do now. 

He softly sung to Caboose while comforting him. Caboose would still whimper, and whisper, “I miss them,” between sobs. Tucker would whisper back, “I know, I'm sorry,” and continue singing. 

On the edge of falling asleep, Caboose said something that really shouldn't have been as surprising as it was.

“Why couldn't they have come with us, Dad?” 

Dad.

Caboose called him dad. 

“Caboose, you know I'm not your dad, right?” 

“Yeah, I know. Everyone thinks I don't know things, but I do. You're like my dad, just like Church was like my dad and just like Washington was like my dad. My dad wasn't very nice to me all the time because he wasn't always home, but we did fun things like go to the park, and to the fair. You guys weren't always nice to be, but we do fun things all the time. I-I'm sorry, I rambled on and on and on again.” 

Tucker wiped away his tears, “Never be sorry, Caboose. I miss them too.”


End file.
